A great cause and some attention problems with yarn

You all know the wonderful Vicki from 2 Bags Full, she is the kind and generous blogger of Grow Your Blog fame.  Vicki is always giving of herself and her creativity to wonderful causes and now she has found another one.  Please pay her a visit, but be prepared to have a tissue ready to dab your eyes.  I know I needed one.  I stopped reading this post and got busy right away gathering a few things together I already had to send.  I will be visiting Walmart on Tuesday to get a gift card then will be shipping this off.  I love a good cause that I can help with.  I hope you might feel inclined to help, too.

I had busy plans for my yarn life in the next few weeks.  Plans to make Berroco Nijo after my first attempt had to be frogged.  I had every intention of making another Olive Twist Shawl, well actually about ten more of them but I got sidetracked.  You see I have complex attention problems when it comes to playing with yarn.  Sometimes I can pull myself together and stay on task, but lately that is not the case.  I think as my life has been a bit crazier than usual lately, my desire to start brand new projects is at an all time high.

My lovely friend Tanna recently made some wonderful crochet baskets with a pattern from Liz of Crochet in Color.  I made a few of these a year or so ago, let me just say my joins every round were quite hideous.  I had to cover the seam with a flower or two.  Suddenly after seeing Tanna's I had to make another one.  I had the yarn already so gave it a go.  Just as I started this new basket Tammy of T's Daily Treasures made a few baskets, too.  The basket craze is now in full swing again.

If you have wrist issues I suggest you pass this pattern right on by, but if you give your wrists a bit of rest and a stretch, then you might just be fine.  Three sugar and cream yarns held together and there you have it.  I should have used the suggested size L hook, but of course went up a hook size so my basket is a bit wobbly.  A great way to use 360 yards of cotton I would say.  I made mine extra large so it can hold a lot!

Then the lovely Rose of Sand In My Yarn posted a photo of the beautiful dishcloths she has been making this summer.  My head started spinning, you see these might make great teacher/therapist gifts for Little Buddy's people for Christmas.  The pattern is called The Almost Lost Washcloth and boy is it fun to make.  Of course I had already bought some yarn to make scarves for these hard working people, but that would be 8 scarves for just the people at school.  How about two or three of these with a very fun bar of soap?  It sounds more reasonable to me time-wise.  I can keep that scarf yarn for other projects and other people.

I did have to go to Joann's for a few skeins of Sugar n' Cream yarn.  I may have a huge yarn stash but this type of cotton yarn is not in it.  It was on sale so I purchased quite a few.  These might make nice little friendship gifts. too.  I do like to make a little something for my friends at Christmas.  Do you remember the 21 cups and cup cozies I made last year?  This pattern is very easy, not much thought involved at all, which fits perfectly into my life right now.

Drat if the lovely and talented Kristen from Cozy Things didn't just finish this beautiful sweater called Lady Kina.  I have had this one in my Ravelry library for sometime now but after seeing Kristen's I thought it might be the perfect sweater to make right now.  I had a look around my stash and found the perfect yarn, Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo.  I made a little project basket and have it sitting in my family room enticing me to get started.  This sweater looks fairly simple and straight forward, something I need right now as I said before.

This Olive Twist Shawl in a gorgeous Merlot sock yarn has been put aside for a few days.  

And this table runner for my SIL has not left my craft room in a few weeks.  I will also get back to this soon.

Right now I am thinking projects that are easier and simple, not too much thought, which means attempt number two on this Berroco sweater has been frogged, everything put away for another day.

Are you needing simple in your life right now or is it just me?